Bledisloe II
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@wreck-diver said in Bledisloe II:
So are all the people that were bitching about Barrett last week, are you satisfied or do you still want to drop him?
When Marty Holah was playing for the ABs he was a really good openside. A top quality international who never let his side down. Yet he was dropped for a noob. That's how it works at the top.
No-one much thinks Barrett is bad. Some of us aren't so blinded by his brilliant bits that we don't see his weaknesses though.
Some people suspect Mo'unga might be better* We'll never know if we never play him on the basis that Barrett is good enough, will we?
And we'd have missed years of McCaw if we followed your logic.
[* I am not one of them. But I know that Barrett does have weaknesses. To me he is one of those brilliant players who isn't able to use his brilliance in a way that makes others better too.]
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@chester-draws what utter bollocks. Mounga will get his chance just like Barrett waited for his. ON both these test matches you would be mad to drop him.
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@wreck-diver said in Bledisloe II:
@chester-draws what utter bollocks. Mounga will get his chance just like Barrett waited for his. ON both these test matches you would be mad to drop him.
That's what I said. Including before the test.
But the argument that because he's good that the calls to see Mo'unga must be wrong is not logical. Perhaps Mo'unga is better.
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@bones said in Bledisloe II:
I'm interested in how he doesn't make others better.
An unsympathetic shovel pass mostly.
Also he doesn't stand flat to the line like Carter and Cruden did, so he doesn't pose the same defensive quandaries, which makes it easier to mark the 2nd-five.
Beauden's at his best in space, attacking from the back on counter and when defenses tire. Back lines outside him seem to struggle to penetrate organised back lines, like the Lions or Crusaders. Or not tired Aussies, for that matter.
The ABs seem to be working around this by trying to ensure oppositions always tire enough. I suspect cannier teams than Australia will pace themselves better.
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Telegraph article in Britland sums up the B.B. situation nicely while raving about his performance.
From his 60 odd caps he only has 30 odd starts and 30 odd tries.
Find another 10 with a similar record.
I have been a critic of BB at times because he can get shut out of a game but I have admired how in test one he worked slowly into things after sussing the Oz defense. Now he has taken them apart.
I guess he will never have the control game of Carter but maybe he won’t ever need it. -
@chester-draws yes those players around him have been awful. Smith, Goodhue, ALB, Naholo, Smith. They usually look much better.
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There is hope for Australia coming out from this. Sure, whatever pipe dream they had coming out of RWC 2015 of winning back the Bledisloe and being a legitimate threat to the AB's has to be shelved, but with a focus solely on RWC 2019 they have to feel better about their chances to go through Wales, France and Ireland on their side of the draw now than I did two weeks ago.
They obviously need to resolve the unbalanced backrow (and in turn their lineout), improve their ball carrying in contact and tinker with the backline in contact. All that is very doable and at that stage they become a worthy RWC finalist if the draw/injuries break their way. I would certainly not take them lightly on neutral soil in a RWC game where we generally tighten up.
As for the Bledisloe... that is the 8th loss by 20+ in the past 4 years. For the 6th consecutive year the ABs put 40+ on the board against them. What seemed like a once in a lifetime onslaught in 2003 is the average contest these days - very disappointing.
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@damo said in Bledisloe II:
Does anyone else feel a bit sorry for the Wallabies?
No
They played pretty well tonight, but they were just outclassed by a much better team.
They're just so far off the pace that I am starting to think it is becoming unhealthy.
Yep
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@gunner said in Bledisloe II:
Harris has to go, our lineout falls apart when he comes on. Time for Coltman to have a go.
Our lineout had some shakes when Taylor was still on (although according to Horan it was Coles). Seemed to be when we were throwing long. Tough throw to make
But I agree with the general sentiment. Finding the next hooker is a priority.
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@chester-draws said in Bledisloe II:
Also he doesn't stand flat to the line like Carter and Cruden did, so he doesn't pose the same defensive quandaries, which makes it easier to mark the 2nd-five.
Beauden's at his best in space, attacking from the back on counter and when defenses tire. Back lines outside him seem to struggle to penetrate organised back lines, like the Lions or Crusaders. Or not tired Aussies, for that matter.
The ABs seem to be working around this by trying to ensure oppositions always tire enough. I suspect cannier teams than Australia will pace themselves better.
To be fair though at test level he has had a constant rotation in the midfield for the past three years. If he had a hard running, flat passing 12 like Nonu who could stay fit I suspect there would be a lot more direction to things.
I still stand by what I said after the last match - aside from his A+ speed and anticipation in attack he isn't much as a 10, but jeez when he gets to use those skills he is ethereal. It's just those one or two tests a year when the play doesn't break up and all you are left with iffy defence and poor goalkicking.
As for all the articles saying "proved he is still the best in the world" did they miss Rettalick again tonight? The guy is special.
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@wreck-diver said in Bledisloe II:
So are all the people that were bitching about Barrett last week, are you satisfied or do you still want to drop him?
Drop him. Start Marty MacKenzie. Might make it closer.
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@chimoaus said in Bledisloe II:
I wonder if Rugby Australia still thinks 6 Million for Hooper is a wise investment.
After watching the press conference he had to front $6 million seems fair.
The job primarily involves dealing with Cheika and Aussie Journos - I'd want at least $750k per year.
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@rotated said in Bledisloe II:
@chimoaus said in Bledisloe II:
I wonder if Rugby Australia still thinks 6 Million for Hooper is a wise investment.
After watching the press conference he had to front $6 million seems fair.
The job primarily involves dealing with Cheika and Aussie Journos - I'd want at least $750k per year.
I get the logic there but watching that presser he was lucky to get paid at all.
He sits there squirming and looking sour while Cheika looks for a fight then when he finally talks, repeats whatever the boss says. -
@booboo said in Bledisloe II:
@gunner said in Bledisloe II:
Harris has to go, our lineout falls apart when he comes on. Time for Coltman to have a go.
Our lineout had some shakes when Taylor was still on (although according to Horan it was Coles). Seemed to be when we were throwing long. Tough throw to make
But I agree with the general sentiment. Finding the next hooker is a priority.
Well ot can be Coles' fault, if he wasn't injured....
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@booboo said in Bledisloe II:
@gunner said in Bledisloe II:
But I agree with the general sentiment. Finding the next hooker is a priority.
I’m in Amsterdam tonight. I understand there are a few here. What’s the criteria?
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